Is Restorative Dentistry Safe?

There was a time in history when people did not have many options in dental restoration treatments. This meant that repairing damaged or decayed teeth, fixing the appearance of a person’s smile, or restoring oral hygiene was quite difficult. Nowadays, restorative dentistry uses advanced techniques to help people fix their natural smiles and resolve several oral health problems.

Ageing, injury, wear and tear, and other factors can result in declining or damaged oral health. This is why regularly visiting your dentist is quite important. This makes it easier to identify and treat dental problems timely. Restorative dentistry can help to diagnose and resolve problems before worsening and causing more complicated health issues.

Understanding Restorative Dentistry

In quite simple terms, this branch of dentistry aims for replacing missing or damaged teeth. It is significant in reversing damage where possible and a natural-looking replacement solution where it is not. The restorative dentistry procedures are not only ideal for reversing aesthetic damage to a person’s smile and teeth. These are imperative to maintaining good oral hygiene as well.

The treatments can help eliminate spaces left behind by missing or removed teeth, fill cavities, fix broken or chipped teeth, straighten teeth, whiten teeth, and more. All these procedures are vital for preventing serious dental health issues while developing better self-esteem in patients.

Different Procedures that Fall Under Restorative Dentistry

Take a look at the different restorative dentistry procedures, which are commonly used by dentists:

Fillings

Fillings serve the purpose of repairing and stabilizing a tooth, which has been impacted by cavities and decay. It’s the most common restorative dental treatment used to treat numerous issues. A filling can be either made of composite or metal; however, its purpose is the same – to treat dental health issues.

Crowns

Crown is considered a suitable option in case there’s a significant tooth decay problem and fillings cannot treat it. Also called a dental cap, it is a restorative procedure that entails designing and constructing a cap, which will eventually cover the entire tooth for the purpose of protecting it from further damage.

Bridges

A bridge is another common dental restorative procedure. it works similar to that of a crown since it also covers a tooth. However, it’s a more suitable option in the case of tooth extraction.

Getting a bridge involves numerous crowns. They are merged together at first. Then, the dentist bonds them to the nearest healthy teeth so that a ‘bridge’ over the missing tooth can be created.

Bonding

Tooth bonding is a preferred option when a tooth gets broken or chipped. It works by bonding composite materials to the tooth’s remaining part so that the missing part of the enamel can be recreated.

Dental Implants

It’s the most extensive procedure of all. Dentists usually consider it when the tooth has suffered significant damage. The process of dental implants includes replacing the structure of the existing tooth with an artificial tooth that looks, feels, and works similar to natural teeth. An implant is attached with the help of a metal post, which is then bonded to the jawbone using an artificial root.

How Safe is Restorative Dentistry?

There are hardly any medical procedures not possessing certain risks. In some cases, the risks are more serious than in others. However, dental restoration treatments do not have serious risks. The most common complaints after treatments include sensitivity and general discomfort.

Your dentist is always going to inform you about any risks associated with the potential treatment. You will also receive aftercare instructions to manage these risks.

There are some other risks associated with tooth restoration treatments. For example, a temporary crown may loosen, fall off, or become chipped. Some patients may not be comfortable with the fit of their dental bridge. Some clients may report an allergic reaction to the materials used for restoration.

The best way to mitigate such risks is to communicate with your dentist before undergoing any restorative dentistry treatment. A professional dentist will always prioritize what is best for the patient, inform them of all possible risks, make them understand what is going to happen during and after the treatment, and ensure that the patient is comfortable with undergoing a certain treatment and paying for it, etc.

In case of any problem encountered after your treatment, you can always return to the dentist. Usually, there are always follow-ups scheduled to ensure that the goal of the treatment was achieved safely and successfully. At this point, it is also significant to mention that aftercare instructions are provided for a reason. Most patients that strictly follow these instructions recover faster and are at a decreased risk of experiencing a problem.

Sue Vetter Dental Restoration Services, Seattle

At Sue Vetter’s dental office in Seattle, patients will experience a comfortable and safe environment. We prioritize hygiene throughout the premises, so our clients are not at risk of catching a disease while undergoing treatments. And are also big on communication with the patients. We listen to them to understand what they are experiencing in terms of their oral health.

We then provide the ideal solutions based on their independent dental health needs. We inform all our clients about the risks of the procedures they are likely to go under, and never force them to pay for any treatment they may find unnecessary or simply do not want at that time. We are also open to offering alternate solutions where possible in case a patient is not comfortable with a certain treatment option.

The Seattle dentists working at Sue Vetter are highly qualified for performing the restorative dentistry treatments the clients may require. They work diligently to ensure that patients can achieve their oral health goals with as low risks as possible.

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